Animals In PrintThe On-Line Newsletter25 August 2010 Issue

New Zealand Government Overturns Ban On Obscenely Cruel Ritual Slaughter...

Kosher Butchers

Kosher Butchers

Stephanie Dyer

In a decision that will appall animal advocates all over the world, the
self-professed 'clean and green' New Zealand Government has overturned its
decision to ban cruel Kosher slaughter, proving that it is anything but 'clean
and green'. This cowardly decision sends a clear message to the world that New
Zealand is a country that cares very little about how its animals are treated.

Clearly the New Zealand Government believed Kosher slaughter to be sufficiently
cruel to impose the ban; what scientific, peer-reviewed evidence has been
provided indicating that it is suddenly not cruel to cut the throat of a fully
conscious, terrified animal?

The Jewish Community in New Zealand can now continue to kill terrified,
conscious animals in the Kosher tradition, even though a new Animal Welfare Code
effectively banned the barbaric practice in May this year. Kosher slaughter
requires animals to have their throats cut without stunning, so animals are
fully conscious during the slaughter process and feel every bit of the pain and
terror of having their necks hacked at, through nerve and muscle tissue as they
die choking on their own blood.

The commercial slaughter code introduced in May of this year, requires all
animals to be stunned before they're killed in New Zealand, but now the New
Zealand Government has reversed its decision under pressure from the Jewish
community which prefers to slaughter animals in this hideous, unspeakable manner
despite the new Animal Welfare Code New Zealand developed which bans the cruel
Religious slaughter.

The New Zealand Minister of Agriculture, David Carter who banned the barbaric
practice said, "But frankly I don't think any animal should suffer in the
slaughter process," Now Carter has gone back on his word.

All commercially killed animals must be stunned before slaughter to "ensure that
the animals are treated humanely", but now Minister Carter has done a back flip
and clearly believes this hideously cruel slaughter practice is no longer cruel
at all.

Other countries that have banned Kosher include Iceland, Norway, Sweden and
Switzerland.

The Jewish Community in New Zealand can continue to kill animals in the kosher
tradition, even though a new animal welfare code has effectively banned the
method.

The commercial slaughter code introduced earlier this year into the country
requires all animals to be stunned before they’re killed.

But the Jewish practice of shechita, requires animals to have their throats cut
without stunning.

While shechita had been allowed under previous animal welfare rules, the new
code means meat processed according to Jewish religious laws would have to be
imported from Australia.

Lawyers for representatives of the Jewish community filed legal proceedings
against the Minister of Agriculture last week, seeking a restoration of the
right to practice the kosher tradition in New Zealand.

An agreement for relief from the code was reached in court on Monday.

The temporary arrangement will once again be challenged when the matter goes to
trial next year.

Please email sample letter or feel free to amend, or write your own and
email to recipients below:

New Zealand Prime Minister: John KeyNew Zealand Minister for Agriculture: David CarterPlease CC to the New Zealand Greens: Sue Kedgley

I am writing to express my horror and disappointment after learning that the New
Zealand Government is once again allowing cruel religious slaughter to be
carried out, only months after it banned the obscenely cruel, and unspeakable
Kosher slaughter practice.

Many progressive countries have lowered the bar on what is acceptable in
civilised society to appease these extreme religious views, and New Zealand is
now one of these countries.

Clearly the New Zealand Government believed Kosher slaughter to be sufficiently
cruel to impose the ban; what scientific, peer-reviewed evidence has been
provided indicating that it is suddenly not cruel to cut the throat of a fully
conscious, terrified animal?

New Zealand had an opportunity to truly lead the way by banning a slaughter
practice that is simply brutal. New Zealand's decision to overturn a ban on
Kosher slaughter will now discourage other countries such as Australia from
banning religious slaughter. Instead of the New Zealand Government leading the
way in animal welfare it has now set a strong precedent to regions around the
world that cruel slaughter practices are acceptable.

To deny the very animals that sustain us even the small amount of relief that
stunning gives before the moment of death, is truly indefensible! We must have
laws that everybody adhere to regardless of religion. How can one religion be
exempted from the laws of the land but not another? The same laws should apply
equally to all citizens and those laws should be evidence based and adhere to
the highest ethical standards.

New Zealand has now sent a message worldwide, and that message is that animal
cruelty is ok if it pleases certain religious groups. Laws designed to protect
those who cannot protect themselves, including animals, should not be granted
except in the most exceptional of circumstances, and religion is certainly not
one of those circumstances.

The International market perceives New Zealand to be 'clean and green' and while
a ban on cruel slaughter practices was in place New Zealand was considered
'caring'. However, now that the New Zealand Government has gone back on its word
to ban unspeakable slaughter practices, its image shall be destroyed.

I shall not be buying New Zealand exports in any way, shape or form and shall
encourage others to do the same.

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